A Decade of Collaboration: ISPN and ICA/IGU Joint Commission on Toponymy

 This year marks a significant milestone - the 10th anniversary of the partnership between the International Symposium on Place Names (ISPN) and the Joint ICA/IGU Commission on Toponymy. Since 2015, this collaboration has played a crucial role in advancing toponymic research, education, and international cooperation, particularly in Southern Africa.

Reflecting on a Decade of Achievements

Over the past ten years, this partnership has strengthened the scholarly study of place names, merging geographical, cartographic, and linguistic perspectives. Some of the key contributions include:
✔ Promoting research on place names in maps, transportation, and identity.
✔ Developing principles for naming new places, ensuring cultural and historical relevance.
✔ Exploring social dimensions of place names, including indigenous, aboriginal, and vernacular toponyms.
✔ Addressing the role of toponyms in education, highlighting their significance in history and geography curricula.
✔ Analyzing the influence of place names in the digital age, particularly in the cyber world.

Why This Partnership Matters

The Joint ICA/IGU Commission on Toponymy bridges the gap between cartography, geography, and linguistics, ensuring that place names are more than just markers on a map - they are reflections of history, identity, and cultural heritage. By working together with ISPN, this initiative has empowered African scholars and researchers to participate in the global discourse on toponymy.

Looking Ahead: The Next Decade

As we celebrate this 10-year milestone, it is essential to continue fostering collaborative research, expanding education efforts, and advocating for the protection of indigenous and historical place names. With the rapid advancements in geospatial technology and globalization, the role of place names will continue to evolve, making such partnerships more vital than ever.

Get Involved

For scholars interested in geographical names, cartography, and identity studies, membership in the ICA/IGU Joint Commission on Toponymy is free. To join, simply reach out to Co-Chair Matjaž Geršič at matjaz.gersic@zrc-sazu.si. More details are available at the official website.

Here’s to another decade of preserving and understanding place names worldwide! 🌍📍